Devastating Earthquake Ravages Pakistan, India and Afghanistan

A strong earthquake shook northern Pakistan and was felt in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and the Indian capital, New Delhi, on Tuesday.

Residents of Islamabad fled their homes as the walls started to sway and the continuous 30-second earthquake was felt across the country. The Pakistan Meteorological Office said the quake had a magnitude of 7.7.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 6.5 on the Richter scale.

The epicenter was 40 km southeast of the Afghan town of Gorm, near the borders with Pakistan and Tajikistan.

The US Geological Survey said the missile struck at a depth of more than 185 miles.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

“People ran away from their homes and were reciting the Koran,” said an AFP correspondent in Rawalpindi, while similar reports came from the capital, Islamabad, Lahore, and elsewhere in the country.

The region is frequently prone to earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, which lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people last year.